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Foundations for a Sustainable Future

A regular column in Deep Foundations magazine showcasing successful best practices for sustainable foundations.

March – April 2022

Low Carbon Solution at Neste Singapore Expansion

Authors: Selvaganesh Selvaraju, Ravi Kumar and Seah Yeow Teck, Keller

Neste, a global leader producing renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel, has invested $1.6B USD to expand the production capacity of its Singapore refinery by 2023. Keller’s design-build foundation solution provided a 75% reduction in carbon emissions as compared to the original driven pile solution for the tank structures.

May – June 2022

Carbon Footprint Reduction for River Wall Renovation

Author: Patrick IJnsen, Van ’t Hek Group

Van Halteren Infra (part of Van ’t Hek Group) was awarded the contract for a river wall replacement in the Dutch historical town of Schipluiden. The bid selection criteria included, best value for money, lowest life cycle cost and best price. The contractor’s plan to reuse steel sheet piles to provide a massive carbon footprint reduction made the bid successful.

July – August 2022

Reducing Piles to Reduce Carbon Footprint

Authors: Kumar Allady, P.E., Smart Infrastructure Group and Sastry Putcha, Smart Structures

The Florida Department of Transportation District Six planned improvements to State Road 968/Southwest First Street in Miami-Dade County, Florida. The proposed improvements included replacing the existing four-lane, oneway bascule bridge built in 1929 over the Miami River with a new three-lane, one-way bascule bridge.

September – October 2022

Reuse of Foundations in an Old School Building

Authors: Marcel Bielefeld and Kevin van Velzen, Allnamics Geotechnical Experts, The Hague, the Netherlands

A few years ago, an old school building in Breda, a city in the southern part of the Netherlands, was converted into an apartment building. Reusing the foundation that was already in place reduced project costs, time, resources and carbon emissions.

November – December 2022

Foundation Reuse Reduces C02 Emissions in Chicago

Authors: Darren Diehm, Nancy Straub and Bernard Hertlein, GEI Consultants.

A few years ago, an old school building in Breda, a city in the southern part of the Netherlands, was converted into an apartment building. Reusing the foundation that was already in place reduced project costs, time, resources and carbon emissions.

Between 2003 and 2005, a 51-story commercial office tower was constructed on the site of the former US Gypsum (USG) building in Chicago. Through reuse of the caissons, an estimated 540 tons (490 tonnes) of emissions were reduced.